Vitamins and Deficiencies Quiz

Organic compounds that are essential for human health but cannot be synthesized by the body in sufficient amounts.

Substances that do not provide energy, but are essential for certain metabolic processes.

Vitamins that dissolve in water, absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and are not typically stored in the body.

Vitamins that dissolve in fat, are absorbed into the lymphatic system, and are stored in the body.

The absorption of water-soluble vitamins into the bloodstream.

The absorption of fat-soluble vitamins into the lymphatic system, and then the bloodstream.

The storage of water-soluble vitamins in the body is limited, as they are often excreted in urine.

The storage of fat-soluble vitamins can lead to toxicity if excessive amounts are consumed.

A deficiency of this vitamin is rare, but can be caused by medications like Isoniazid or inadequate intake. Deficiency symptoms include depression, irritability, confusion, and numbness in the extremities.

This vitamin is a coenzyme that facilitates carboxylation reactions, playing a key role in processes like gluconeogenesis and fatty acid synthesis.

Excess intake of this vitamin can lead to irreversible nerve degeneration, causing peripheral sensory neuropathy.

This vitamin is widely distributed in food, and intestinal bacteria can produce it. However, avidin in raw egg whites can bind to and prevent its absorption.

Deficiency symptoms of this vitamin include skin problems, glossitis, loss of appetite, and nausea.

Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) is a coenzyme essential for glucose metabolism. It facilitates decarboxylation and transferase reactions, and is key for the synthesis of acetylcholine and GABA.

Decarboxylation reactions remove a carboxyl group from a molecule, which is crucial for energy production and ATP synthesis. These reactions are particularly important for tissues like the nervous system, heart, and skeletal muscle.

Thiamine deficiency can lead to beriberi, a condition characterized by extreme weakness. There are two main types: wet beriberi, affecting the cardiovascular system, and dry beriberi, impacting the nervous system.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a serious form of thiamine deficiency characterized by neurological and memory impairments. It has two phases - Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's syndrome.

Wernicke's encephalopathy is the acute phase of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. It's characterized by eye problems, confusion, and unsteady gait. It's a medical emergency and can lead to coma and death.

Korsakoff's syndrome, the chronic phase of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, is marked by severe memory impairment, affecting recall and creating false memories (confabulation). It often involves amnesia and difficulty learning new information.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) is a component of coenzymes FMN and FAD, which are involved in redox reactions (reduction and oxidation) essential for energy metabolism.

Riboflavin deficiency can disrupt energy metabolism, leading to problems like fatigue, sore throat, inflammation of the mouth, and cheilosis (cracks at the corners of the mouth).

A form of vitamin A that is important for maintaining a healthy cornea, which is the transparent outer layer of the eye. It contributes to clear vision.

A specific type of vitamin A that is involved in the retinal cycle within the eye. It is a component of rhodopsin, which is a light-sensitive pigment found in photoreceptor cells called rods.

The acidic form of Vitamin A. It binds to receptors inside target cells. The complex formed then binds to specific enhancers, initiating the expression of genes that control protein synthesis and cell differentiation in epithelial cells.

The transport form of Vitamin A in the bloodstream. It plays an important role in different aspects of human growth and development, such as sperm development, fetal development, childhood growth, and bone remodeling.

A condition that arises due to insufficient intake of Vitamin A. It can lead to night blindness because of inadequate supply of Retinal to the retina.

A condition characterized by dryness of the cornea and conjunctiva, which are the outer layers of the eye. It can lead to ulceration, scarring, and eventual vision loss. It is a major cause of blindness worldwide.

Sources of Vitamin A include various animal products like liver, kidney, cream, and egg yolk. It's also found in yellow, orange, and dark green vegetables and fruits.

Both Retinol and its precursors can be used as dietary supplements. Retinoic acid is used in dermatology due to its effect on cell differentiation. A specific form of retinoic acid (all-trans retinoic acid) is used to treat promyelocytic leukemia.

It is an antioxidant that protects cell membranes from damage caused by free radicals.

Alpha-tocopherol is the most active form of Vitamin E in the body.

It helps prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, thereby reducing inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Vitamin E deficiency is rare but can occur in premature infants. Secondary deficiency occurs due to fat malabsorption.

High doses of Vitamin E may increase the risk of stroke.

It is a coenzyme involved in the carboxylation of specific clotting factors.

Vitamin K is involved in the metabolism of osteocalcin, a bone protein, contributing to bone health.

Phylloquinone (from plants), Menaquinone (from bacteria), and Menadione (synthetic form).

The active form of vitamin D, a hormone, plays a crucial role in calcium regulation, contributing to bone health, intestinal absorption, and kidney reabsorption.

Vitamin D's primary target organs are the intestine, kidney, and bones. Intestinal absorption of calcium is increased, the kidney reabsorbs more calcium, and bone resorption is stimulated, releasing calcium when needed.

In the absence of sufficient calcium, vitamin D and PTH can work together to break down bone, leading to weakened bones or osteoporosis.

Consuming fatty fish, liver, and egg yolk provides vitamin D. Sunlight also triggers vitamin D synthesis in the body. The recommended daily intake is 200-600 IU.

Dark skin and limited sun exposure are common factors contributing to vitamin D deficiency. This deficiency can lead to secondary hyperparathyroidism, causing excess bone demineralization and raising the risk of osteoporosis.

Vitamin D deficiency also links to autoimmune conditions and immune dysfunction. Checking vitamin D levels in all patients is crucial to prevent associated health issues.

Rickets, affecting children, and osteomalacia, affecting adults, both represent vitamin D deficiency complications. These conditions result in weakened bones, leading to bending or deformities in children and softening, flexibility, and brittleness in adults.

While vitamin D is generally safe, excessive doses (100,000 IU/day for prolonged periods) can lead to adverse effects, such as loss of appetite, nausea, thirst, altered consciousness, and elevated calcium levels, sometimes causing calcium deposition in tissues.

A coenzyme that is essential for glucose metabolism. It facilitates decarboxylation and transferase reactions, and is key for the synthesis of acetylcholine and GABA.

A condition characterized by extreme weakness due to thiamine deficiency. It can affect the cardiovascular system (wet beriberi) or the nervous system (dry beriberi).

A serious form of thiamine deficiency that affects both the brain and memory.

A component of coenzymes FMN and FAD, which are involved in redox reactions (reduction and oxidation) essential for energy metabolism.

A condition that arises due to insufficient intake of Vitamin A. It can lead to night blindness because of inadequate supply of Retinal to the retina.

A deficiency in riboflavin (Vitamin B2) that can cause problems like fatigue, sore throat, inflammation of the mouth, and cracks at the corners of the mouth.

A severe vitamin deficiency that causes the '4Ds': Diarrhea, Dermatitis, Dementia, and Death. It can be caused by insufficient dietary intake or an inability to properly absorb niacin from food.

The major form of the B vitamin niacin. It is a component of NAD and NADP, which are coenzymes essential for redox reactions in metabolism.

A coenzyme essential for glucose metabolism. It's involved in decarboxylation and transferase reactions, which are crucial for energy production and ATP synthesis.

Two forms of Vitamin A that play a role in vision. Retinal is important for a healthy cornea, while Retinol contributes to the retinal cycle in photoreceptor cells.

An acidic form of Vitamin A that binds to receptors inside target cells and regulates gene expression, particularly for epithelial cell growth and differentiation.

Beriberi is a severe thiamine deficiency that manifests as extreme weakness. It affects the cardiovascular system (wet beriberi, causing heart issues and fluid buildup) and the nervous system (dry beriberi, leading to nerve damage and paralysis).

Riboflavin is a key component of coenzymes FMN and FAD, which are involved in redox reactions (reduction and oxidation) essential for energy metabolism. These reactions are crucial for converting food into usable energy for the body.

Night blindness is a condition caused by Vitamin A deficiency, specifically a lack of Retinal. Retinal is essential for light-sensitive cells in the retina, making it difficult to see in low light conditions.

Decarboxylation reactions, facilitated by thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), are crucial for removing a carboxyl group from a molecule. This process is vital for energy production and ATP synthesis, particularly important for tissues like the brain, heart, and muscles.

Biotin (Vitamin B7) deficiency is rare because of its widespread availability in food and production by intestinal bacteria. However, raw egg whites contain avidin that binds to biotin, preventing its absorption.

Lack of cobalamin causes folate to get trapped as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, leading to a shortage of other folate forms. This mimics folate deficiency, causing pernicious anemia (macrocytic anemia).

Cobalamin deficiency can lead to neuropsychiatric issues. This is due to the incorporation of odd-chain fatty acid metabolites into cell membranes, disrupting their normal function.

Vitamin C is essential for collagen formation, the building block for connective tissues like bones, teeth, and blood vessels. It also acts as a coenzyme in other reactions like serotonin and norepinephrine synthesis.

Vitamin C, along with vitamins E and A, acts as an antioxidant to protect tissues from damage caused by free radicals. This is crucial for preventing oxidative stress and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

A deficiency in Vitamin C leads to scurvy. This condition is characterized by symptoms like bleeding gums, loose teeth, and fragile blood vessels, which can break easily.

The stomach's ability to produce enough hydrochloric acid (HCl) is crucial for cobalamin (vitamin B12) absorption.

Both cobalamin (B12) and folate (B9) deficiencies can cause macrocytic anemia, characterized by larger than normal red blood cells and fatigue.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and folate (B9) are crucial for cell division and DNA synthesis, especially during the formation of red blood cells. Deficiencies in either vitamin can lead to the production of abnormally large red blood cells, resulting in macrocytic anemia.

Ingesting raw egg whites can hinder the absorption of Vitamin B12 from the gut.

Fat-soluble vitamins differ from water-soluble vitamins in several ways: they require bile for digestion and absorption, travel through the lymphatic system, are often transported by proteins in the bloodstream, and excess amounts are stored, primarily in the liver and adipose tissue. As a result, they pose a greater risk of toxicity compared to water-soluble vitamins.

Vitamin A is a vital nutrient for vision, reproduction, growth, and maintaining healthy epithelial tissues. It exists in three forms (retinoids): retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid. Beta carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A, is found in many plants.

Retinal, a form of Vitamin A, is essential for vision. Retinoic acid plays a role in maintaining healthy epithelial tissues. Retinol, the alcohol form of Vitamin A, is crucial for reproduction.

Vitamin A, absorbed along with dietary fats, is packaged into chylomicrons (lipoproteins). It then enters the bloodstream via the lymphatic system. Excess Vitamin A is stored in the liver for long periods. To reach extrahepatic tissues, retinol requires a transport protein called retinol binding protein (RBP). RBP binds to cells with RBP receptors, facilitating the transport of Vitamin A into the cell.

A deficiency in Vitamin A can lead to night blindness due to insufficient retinal in the eye. It can also cause xerophthalmia, a condition that dries the cornea and conjunctiva, ultimately leading to vision loss.

Vitamin E, an antioxidant, protects cell membranes from damage caused by free radicals. Alpha-tocopherol, the most active form, helps maintain healthy cell membranes and prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol, contributing to cardiovascular health.

Vitamin K plays a crucial role in blood coagulation by acting as a coenzyme for carboxylation of specific clotting factors. It also contributes to bone health by participating in the metabolism of osteocalcin, a bone protein.